Summer Camp, Part Deux

1) Well, camp continues despite the fact that two of the students are on vacation the rest of the week, and two will be on vacation next week. So, I get up at the crack of dawn, walk twenty minutes to work, spend an hour teaching my scrupulously prepared lesson plan, then walk back home, all before most stores along my way are even open for business--for the benefit of four or five students.

2) On the plus side, the students that show up are quite keen. We spend the first five to ten minutes just talking (in part, this is because I designed my lessons to last 50 minutes, as are regular lessons, and as were winter camp sessions back in January, only to find on the second day that they are one hour!) This is nice, but can't be sustained, so I dive into the planned lesson.

3) Yesterday, being Wednesday, was Video Day, and I showed a string of Schoolhouse Rock videos from God's gift to ESL teachers, YouTube. Interjections, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions ... Schoolhouse Rock did a concise, humorous, tuneful explication of grammar topics. Conjunction junction, what's your function...

4) Today's lesson was essentially the Jack Prelutsky "Beware the Crocodile" plan from www.bogglesworldesl.com. I used this during the winter camp as well, when frankly it went somewhat better, at least in the advanced class I taught fourth period. I met Prelutsky when he came to Heritage some years ago.

5) There is no Number Five.

6) In other news, I have been adjudged "healthy" by Seoul Medical Center, thus completing the last step of the renewal process for my job. Now, I have to gather several forms and pieces of paperwork and carry them to the Immigration Office in Mok-dong for a new visa.

7) I am currently wearing a temporary cap and am supposed to get my gold crown on Monday at 11 AM. Anyone who wants to come along and sing "Suicide is Painless" is more than welcome.

Bonus Photographs: On Yeouido. I have been impressed by the amount and quality of public art here in Seoul. Click on art in the label cloud to see more.